Alex de Minaur has moved a step closer to a breakthrough ATP tour title after a testing 6-3 7-6 (9-7) quarter-final win over Damir Dzumhur at the Shenzen Open.
The Australian set up a semi-final meeting with Pierre-Hugues Herbert and would be well fancied to move through to a third top-tier decider.
But he nearly didn't get that far after a sometimes bizarre match in China.
What started out as a stroll in the park almost turned into a mugging as the 19 year-old lost his way against an opponent who appeared injured.
Struggling to put weight on his left leg when serving, Dzumhur looked down for the count at 6-3 4-0 in arrears before mounting the most unlikely of comebacks.
De Minaur tightened and began to spray forehands long, Dzuhmur just doing enough on his own serve to stay in the match.
After rattling off five consecutive games, de Minaur finally steadied and levelled at 5-5, the set eventually going to a tiebreak.
But the drama didn't end there.
Despite a commanding 5-1 lead in the tiebreak, de Minaur stiffened again, Dzumhur winning five consecutive points to serve for the set.
De Minaur then saved the set with the shot of the match, a rasping cross-court forehand winner that he had little right to get to - let alone make.
Giving up a match point of his own, the clash ultimately ended in strange circumstances on Dzumhur's serve as he reached forlornly to volley a de Minaur ball that looked like it was going well out.
Earlier Herbert beat Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-7 (8-6) 7-6 (7-1) 6-4..
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